Buying lottery tickets online can be a fun way to win prizes. It’s faster and easier than waiting in long lines at a retail store, and you can play anywhere you have an internet connection. The state-sponsored websites that sell tickets charge the same price online as they do in the real world.
Online lotteries are available in seven US states. Some states have opted to move away from traditional ticket sales to online subscriptions. Others are still debating the issue. These online ticket sales are growing in popularity, though.
Buying lottery tickets online can be a smart way to save time and money. In addition to avoiding the hassles of lining up at the store, you can enter drawings from the comfort of your own home. You can watch live drawings, create groups for ticket purchases, and even pool money for large ticket purchases.
While only a few states have opted to allow online lottery tickets, it’s likely that more will follow in the future. States like Pennsylvania and Illinois are among the first to offer online lottery ticket sales. They reported a total of $4 billion in game sales after their online lottery launches.
Illinois Lottery launched a pilot program in March 2012, and launched the website later that year. Eventually, the site added Daily Lottery Games, Instant Games, and Powerball lottery tickets.
While a few states have offered online lottery purchases, the majority of lotteries still require in-person purchases. For prizes of more than $600, a claim form must be filled out at the lottery’s claim center.